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I TRI’ed… and I WON

Maybe you’ve heard of the of the WIN for KC Tri. It’s a great little race here in Kansas City. Well…I don’t want to sound too braggy bragger – and I know this will come as a surprise to many, if not all – but I did it yesterday and I WON.

But it wasn’t easy.

I’ve had TRI-anxiety, like straight up going to vomit just thinking about it, for the two months leading up to this race. The terror was mainly because of the swim. If you know me, you know I’m a weenie in the water. Worrisome water incidents at ages 3, 7 and 10 had me pretty much thinking swimming in open water was not a good lane for me. And based on my training swim in Lake Michigan a week and a half ago that started with a 20-meter doggy paddle panic attack, I was really happy I hadn’t registered yet.

And I told as few people as possible so that I didn’t have to be accountable and could back out and back in to bail city. Only problem, I wanted to do it. I’ve wanted to do it for so swimmin’ long. It’s been on my bucket list for at least 15 years.

And then those pesky people that did know… my swim coach, a few close friends and family members, my husband and my kids… especially my daughter who because she knocked out a TRI last summer, set the inspiration wheel in motion. I also wanted to do it for my son who often indulges in his fears…like his mom. I want him to know for all his life that he needs to be just a hair braver than the monster in your head. My monster wanted to have me for lunch so I just had to keep biting back.

And so even though 200 fierce, ‘I wanna be like you’ badass women entered the water before me and all of them (plus those that passed me) exited before me…I WON. Even with logging the longest transition time in the history of tracking transition times…I WON. Even after stopping to kiss my hubba and babies (and some of my kids are at a slow to kiss age) on the last turn of the bike… I WON. And though I walked almost every blip hill and stopped to unnecessarily tie my already sufficiently tied shoe… I WON.

I WON because the race was only ever with me.

I WON because my support system is greater than any earthly possession you could want to have.

I WON because one friend believed me over the finish line through 128 text messages the 12 hours before the race and another friend graciously picked me up on race day and showed me the way.

I WON because my heart and sweat and tears and fears were fully exercised, exhausted and exposed and I’ve got the medal to show for it.

Love this and you!!! I’ve never told you this, but are a true inspiration to me. You are the one that took me on my first run, that cheered me from a far, but was right there with me in my heart on my first marathon and So many runs following. 😘😘😘